Lush lawn = higher home value

Turn that lawn into a fine green carpet and your whole house becomes more valuable. Good landscaping can increase your home's value by 5% to 11%, according to a Michigan State University study. And by far the biggest component of your landscape is the grass.

Cut the lawn high
Cutting the lawn short makes it grow faster - and stresses the plant, ramps up its need for fertilizer and water, and weakens its roots. Most lawns should be cut between 2 1/2 and three inches high.

Don't bag the clippings
Some people bag their clippings to prevent thatch, which is a matted layer of undecomposed stems that can strangle the lawn. But clippings are not the culprits. Setting your mower to "mulch" grinds up the clippings so fine that they won't harm the lawn, and it recycles nutrients and moisture back into the turf.

Fertilize in the fall
Autumn is when grass plants focus on growing their roots, making it the best time to fertilize and water. Deeper roots can help the lawn withstand heat or a dry spell next year. You should also spread seed on the lawn in the fall because winter is easier on young grass than the summer heat that faces spring-planted grass.

Don't over water
Stick your finger about an inch into the dirt. If it feels damp, the lawn doesn't need water. If it feels dry, turn on a sprinkler for a good 20- to 40- minute soak, stopping if water puddles up on the lawn. Always water in the morning. There's less evaporation than at midday, and the grass has a chance to dry before nighttime, when dampness breeds diseases.

It may take two or three years of spraying, watering, fertilizing, seeding and mowing just right to make your lawn strong and vibrant - but once it is, you'll be able to reap a long-term boost in property value.